


What a Charming Notion

by LunasWufei



Series: Snippets and Fix-Its [87]
Category: Sweeney Todd (2007)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24685930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunasWufei/pseuds/LunasWufei
Summary: I own nothing recognizable, all that is mine is the plot, and even not 100% of it.First non-crossover or Harry Potter related thing in a couple months. Hope it can be enjoyed, as is my M.O., it’s a fix-it. Here we go.
Relationships: Sweeney Todd/Lucy Barker/Nellie Lovett
Series: Snippets and Fix-Its [87]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1556170
Kudos: 11





	What a Charming Notion

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing recognizable, all that is mine is the plot, and even not 100% of it. 
> 
> First non-crossover or Harry Potter related thing in a couple months. Hope it can be enjoyed, as is my M.O., it’s a fix-it. Here we go. 

“Where is Lucy… where is my wife?” Benjamin Barker asked, reeling from the tale he had just been told.

  
  


“She poisoned herself. Arsenic. From the apothecary around the corner.” Nellie Lovett said, but she didn’t stop. “She tried to go for a lethal dose, I caught her before she could get much more than a half a teaspoon.” She said, with a gentle sigh. “She’s gotten better, she has her good days more and more as time goes by.” She was surprised at the intense look she was given from the distraught man. 

  
  


“She lives, My sweet Lucy?” Barker asked, and she nodded with a somber smile. Nellie got up with a soft huff, probably from the corset that was maybe a bit too tight. 

  
  


“Come on then, lets see how she is feeling today.” Nellie said, walking with Benjamin upstairs after leaving the bakery. She unlocked the door to the old flat that was his in another lifetime, and then smiled gently as it was as he remembered it. Sweet tones of color, some flowers and a simple bed. It was divided down the middle, one side for the three of them, the other side for the barber shop. 

  
  


“Lucy dear, you have a visitor.” Nellie said, the middle curtain up, with a soft flickering light from the other side. Then Benjamin heard the sweetest thing he had ever remembered hearing; the voice of his lovely wife. 

  
  


“Not feeling too well today, Nellie. Got some things that crept up in my head.” Lucy said, and Nellie smiled a bit more genuinely, nudging the near stunned Benjamin as the door closed. 

  
  


“My sweet Lucy?” Benjamin asked, and there was a soft gasp, but he kept on. “I’ve come back. It’s taken far too long, but… but I am back.” He said, and the curtain was almost torn off with how fast it was moved, and he was embracing the wife that had been taken from him. Nellie stepped forward, ushering them both to the bed, where they collapsed into silent, but tormented, yet freeing sobs of grief, love, and loss. Nellie swept up a bit, keeping an eye on the window, and by doing so the entrance to her shop. After some time, she heard the two talking. It was good, very good. 

  
  


“Alright, loves. You catch up, yeah? I’ve got some pies to make. Think the butcher is coming about now.” Nellie said, getting soft affirmatives from the reunited couple, before going downstairs to accept the meager little shipment of meat, and a slightly greater one of veggies. Now, she didn’t have the best of ingredients, but she actually read from her great aunt’s cookbook, so the pies weren’t too shabby. 

  
  


~WaCN~   
  


The Barkers didn’t come down until morning, and honestly that didn’t bother Nellie one bit. Lucy seemed to be lucid once more, and it was probably having the husband around that help with that. She gave them each a breakfast pie, before sitting with them with her own bowl of morning oats. 

  
  


“I’ve decided, on the long voyage back home, to change my name. My sweet Lucy has agreed to this.” Benjamin said, taking a sip of his tea. “I go by Sweeney Todd now, Ms. Lovett, and Lucy has decided on Angie.” He said with a smile, and his wife kissed his cheek. 

  
  


“We’re going to work on getting back our sweet Joanna.” Angie said with a soft sigh. “I’m not one for outright breaking the law, but that man, if you can even call him that… has done, and continues to do despicable things.” She said with heat, and Nellie nodded. 

  
  


“We’ve come up with a plan, and we’d like your input.” Sweeney said, and Nellie perked up, taking a soft breath as she did so. 

  
  


“I’m all ears, love.” Nellie said gently, before leaning in to hear just what the Todd’s had in mind for the good judge.

  
  


~WaCN~

  
  


The plan was simple, really, if a bit… well, wrong. At least, it would be wrong to those who saw it from an outside perspective. The Todd’s, along with Ms. Lovett, would stage a bit of a show in the market. Even in his years out at sea, and visiting other countries, Sweeney had not been idle with his craft. He was still the best barber in London, and in some ports he was spoken of with awe and envy. He had his instruments now, the ones he had toiled for months upon months to earn for. Silver handles, with a sharpness that could shear hair like the heavens were sheared by lightning. 

  
  


There was a small contest, between him and a barber that proclaimed himself the barber of kings, and even the Pope. A one Adolfo Pirelli. He was bested with the ease that only a man of Sweeney’s skill had, and it was barely a contest if you could call it that. They had laid the trap, though, because without a moment's hesitation, Beadle Bamford proclaimed his desire to be attended to by the skilled man. 

  
  


“You have my word, Good Beadle, that you will have for you the smoothest shave… you shall ever know.” Sweeney had promised, the man giving him a small, almost wary grin. He raised an eyebrow, though, when Sweeney was given a kiss on either cheek by the two beautiful women on either side of him. 

  
  


“I look forward to it, Mr. Todd.” Beadle started, his grin rather oily. “Perhaps, even, I will tell my wonderful friend, Judge Turpin, to visit your establishment as well.” He said, and Sweeney nodded, as if deeply humbled. 

  
  


“I would know no greater pleasure.” Sweeney said, tone soft. “If you will excuse me, I think I will take my earnings and treat my ladies to some pampering.” He said, and there were nods and words of farewell, before they left. The trio made it home, before they had a soft chuckle together. It was a dark path they were headed down, but they would be fine. 

  
  
~WaCN~

  
  


Daniel O’Higgins, Mr. Pirelli to his boy servant Toby, and those who saw him on stage, blinked at the sight before him. Mr. Todd, or Mr. Barker, as he knew him, was sitting in the middle of his barber shop. Now, that wasn’t out of the ordinary, what was were the two ladies on either side of him, each with an infantry rifle, not aimed at him, but it would be a quick movement to change that. 

  
  


“I said, it’s Mr. Todd.” Sweeney said, before gesturing to the simple chair in front of his barber’s chair. When Daniel sat, he cleared his throat and rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. “You’d do well to remember that, right, Davy?” He asked, and the man shuddered at the old nickname, even if he introduced himself using the moniker not a minute or so ago. 

  
  


“No need to get violent now.” Daniel said, smiling gently, though sweating. One of the ladies, the one in the corset, coming up behind him, resting the barrel of the gun on the chair, and thus pressing it against his back. The other woman moved to sit on Todd’s lap. “It was a joke, really.” He said with a gentle chuckle. “And, really. Wouldn’t want to leave my boy Toby an orphan, yes?” He said with a soft nod, wincing gently as the gun was pressed against his back a little more firmly. 

  
  


“I saw how you treated that poor boy.” Ms. Lovett said, almost a hiss. “Would be better off with a ladies touch, what do you think, Angie?” She asked, and the other woman seemed to think, before looking at Sweeney, who nodded. 

  
  


“Sounds great, I think my husband will be an excellent father to the young man.” Angie said, and Daniel frowned, but nodded. “Good boy. Now, why don’t you go tell that young man the good news, and you can get out of London, while the getting is good.” She said, and Daniel nodded, before he was allowed to get up. 

  
  


“Oh… won’t have me saying a word against ya, ladies, Mr. Todd.” Daniel said, smiling nervously then leaving. Sweeney he could have dealt with, but two gun toting women? Definitely not. As soon as he left Sweeney huffed and slumped back, shaking his head. 

  
  


“I do not like that persona, as much as I understand it.” Sweeney said, and he got a kiss from each of his ladies. That had been something to get used to, but he was surely happy, as were the women in his life. “I’ll be a bit gentler with the lad.” He said, and they nodded, as they heard the boy shuffling up the stairs. 

  
  
~WaCN~

  
  


“Pretty as her mother?” Sweeney mumbled, looking murderous at the back of the head of the man in his chair. 

  
  


“What? What was that?” Turpin asked, and Sweeney was quick to speak. 

  
  


“Nothing sir, nothing. May we proceed?” The younger man said, before starting the slow, but practiced art he was so skilled at. He made sure that everything was perfect, that the man was shaved to excellence. When he was done he gave a soft patting on his cheek with a damp cloth. Then he went back to catch any spots he may have missed. Turpin ran a hand over his face, sighing softly. 

  
  


“The Beadle was correct. I have never known a smoother shave, Mr. Todd.” Turpin said, getting up and actually paying the man despite otherwise. “Never let it be said that I do not recognize skill.” He said, and Todd nodded with a bow. “Perhaps…” He trailed, pausing, before speaking again. “I do not suppose you are skilled in the ways of a woman's hair?” He asked, and Todd smiled gently. 

  
  


“I have learned to do so, my ladies insisted on such.” Sweeney said, and Turpin grinned gently. 

  
  


“My ward will be prepared for you on the morrow, I assume you know where I reside?” Turpin asked, another test for the man in front of him. 

  
  


“I would never presume to know where you live, my lord. It would be reckless, and foolish of me to look into things beyond my station.” Sweeney said with a bow of his head, and Turpin nodded, seemingly satisfied. He gave Todd his address, and then swept away with all the pomp he could muster, not noticing the hellacious glare he received after he had left. Todd discussed it with his ladies, and they continued on with their plan. Joanna would be free, sooner than they had ever hoped. 

  
~WaCN~

  
  


“Short hair, Mr. Todd? Surely that is unbecoming of a woman.” Turpin said, as Sweeney went about the plan for his young wards hair. Sweeney simply smiled and then decided to pander to the man, and his vanity and pride. 

  
  


“But of course it is, my lord, that is the point. While out with you, as you see fit, she can be with her short hair… perhaps even the clothing of a well to do urchin.” Sweeney said, taking out a small book, bound and professionally done. “However, once home? In your lovely rooms and walls, bedroom and other, she can wear one of these.” He said, showing off the wigs, in the little catalog that had been made. 

  
  


“She can look like anyone I desire…” Turpin said, Sweeney nodding gently. “Yes, yes I like this. Truly, you continue to astound me, Mr. Todd.” He said, the other man bowing in thanks and reverence to the Judge. “Make it so, Mr. Todd.” He said, getting up with the man and going over to the spare room where the deed was to take place. Angie and Nellie were getting Joanna ready, who seemed to want anything but this, yet… What could she do?

  
  


“Though woe as I am to admit the loss of your hair, my sweet Joanna, it shall be done.” Turpin said, and the young woman nodded, subservient to her adopted father. That still made her shudder, yet she felt oddly at peace around the Todd’s and Ms. Lovett. Just as things were to get done, she twitched softly in her seat, grimacing only a bit, but Ms. Lovett caught it. 

  
  


“Hold a tick… I know that look.” Nellie said, before leaning down to whisper to Joanna, who nodded with a shamed face. “Alright then, love.” She patted her shoulder, then looked to Sweeney and Turpin. “Excuse me, my good sirs. It would be best if I took young Joanna here to the water closet. Having a spot of lady troubles.” She said, and Turpin seemed disgusted, but waved them off. 

  
  


“Very well. Make sure whatever is… stained is burned. It has no place in this house.” Turpin said, and the two ladies left. He watched them go, so he did not notice the growing grin on Sweeney’s face, and he would not see it at all. Especially when he was hit, rather hard, from behind. His eyes rolling as he blacked out from the sudden, forceful blow. 

  
  
~WaCN~

  
  


If there was one thing that Sweeney could say he did not like, it was torture. To ruin a man, or woman, with pain to get something you wanted? No, he just couldn’t really understand it. However, Turpin was neither. He was a beast, a devil. He earned everything he got. Despite him being a strong willed man, however, Turpin was not very long in holding out, and it took him losing no more than a third finger before he did what was asked of him. 

  
  


Joanna Barker was now Emalline Todd, daughter of Angie and Sweeney Todd. He had just been watching her, in secret. When the bobbies came to the screams of a milkman the day after, well, they were treated to a horrific sight. It was very cut and dry, of course. Beadle Bamford had tortured the judge, and then taken his own life. It was quite the scandal, really, but like all things is passed over. If there so happened to be a healing, but strong family that let it wash over them like a soothing wind, no-one really noticed. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Alright, there we go. Something short, but I enjoyed writing it. I hope it can be enjoyed in consumption. As always, read and review, please. Til next time! 


End file.
